


Just In Case

by AgentMal



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-08 09:18:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4299231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentMal/pseuds/AgentMal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I know you have no reason as yet to believe me, but I am trying to make things right, and… While I know it is likely impossible, if there is anything I can do to… to to make some form of amends. Well, you need only ask it.”</p>
<p>"There is one thing, though," she said...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is an offshoot from Chapter 49 of Little Talks. I've included the bit it jumps off from.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just In Case

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Little Talks](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2483912) by [Lena7142](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lena7142/pseuds/Lena7142), [MostFacinorous](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MostFacinorous/pseuds/MostFacinorous). 



“I have not apologized,” he began, “But I should. For using Barton as a tool, for employing his knowledge of you, against you-- as a weapon. For the threats I made you, then. I would not act on them now, and I…. I regret having said what I did. I know you have no reason as yet to believe me, but I am trying to make things right, and… While I know it is likely impossible, if there is anything I can do to… to to make some form of amends. Well, you need only ask it.”

 

...

 

"There is one thing, though," she said, an idea occurring to her. "JARVIS, can you take us off the record?" 

"Yes, Agent Romanoff"

 

Loki looked at her sharply. For what request would she require privacy even from Stark's artificial servant? His mind began racing to think of possibilities. But he had offered to do anything. Surely whatever her request, he would abide it. He squared his shoulders, summoning himself.

"Yes?" he asked.

 

Natasha took in Loki's wariness, his vulnerability, and felt even more certain now was the time to ask this, if ever. 

She carefully kept her voice and face soft, even, impassive. 

"Tell me how I can kill you. I've seen you resist bullets, blasts from Stark's armor- you survived your bones shattering, I doubt a fall or a stab wound would do it."

 

Loki's mouth fell open. He almost wanted to respond with hostility, but he had no real fire in him now, after everything that had transpired today. And he had offered her anything... He just, he didn't... 

What did she want this for? To use as leverage one day? To share with Barton? To share with SHIELD?

 

Natasha read the shock and confusion on his face and decided to make this easier for him. She knew just the thing.

"What if we get the scepter and you go back there and Thanos somehow twists your mind so you're back on Earth and don't realize it? What if you're causing even more destruction and Steve is too torn up over you to do what needs to be done? What if-"

 

"Stop!" He said, too loudly, cutting her off. He didn't want to hear any more, couldn't bear to hear any more. At her first suggestion his mind had jumped ahead, supplying abundant stomach-twisting possibilities. "Please, I'll tell you." She was right, and besides, if Steve trusted her with working with Loki this closely, he should trust her with this. Furthermore, if it was what she desired as recompense for his wrongs against her, after he'd offered, he had no right to refuse her.

Loki sighed, looking down, eyes on the floor or his hands, which he started absently folding as he spoke.

"I, like the race I was born of and also the one I was raised as, am indeed fairly hardy by Midgard's standards. I am also quite resourceful with my seidthr. It is my seidthr that allows survival when even my body hits its limits, but even that is not insurmountable."

"A true blow to vital organs, especially the heart, or removing the head, should suffice. If caged, being deprived of water and sustenance will also do it eventually, though I last significantly longer than midgardians, apparently."

He looked up at her for a moment before returning his gaze to his hands.

"But if you need to get around me using my seithr to protect myself-" he drew one of his longer, wider daggers from nowhere into his hands and used some seidthr to quickly enchant it. It glowed for a moment and then dulled. "...then plunge this into my heart. It is Asgardian and will probably go through any armor I might wear, and now it will also pierce any seidthr defense I might put up."

He offered it out to her.

 

Natasha took it gingerly from him, swallowing gravely at it. She was relieved to hear Loki had the same physical vulnerabilities as anyone, and was surprised to see him create a weapon for her before her eyes. Still, it was just what she wanted. Just in case. 

It wasn't nice of her to manipulate him while he was this vulnerable, but it was what she needed to do to build up the options she'd lacked when Loki came the first time.

She nodded to him. "Thank you. With any luck you'll never see this again." 

Even if she had to use it. 

Especially if she had to use it.

 

Loki nodded back, silently agreeing with the unspoken words he knew she was thinking.

Because of course, if she wanted to take on a god, as she said, she'd use her considerable skills to make sure he never saw it coming. Never had a chance to react.

The idea left him cold, but now he was thinking of the horrible scenarios Thanos had put him through, imagining what Thanos would put him through now should he be discovered. And what Thanos could then make him do. And if anything so unconscionable should fall out, what if Steve could not bring himself to stop him? If he was being honest with himself, Loki doubted Steve could. Or he would try too gently and be hurt by Loki. No, this was for the best. Just in case. 

And had Loki not offered as much to Stark? The evening he and Steve had first arrived at the tower, after recounting the same experience of Thanos' tender mercies, he had said he'd rather fetch them a weapon that would kill him than let them attempt to remove his seithr. And now he had, or rather he'd simply made it himself, and there it was in the hands of not Stark but the Widow. It was better this way.

Loki may not trust the Widow in all things, but he trusted her to do what was necessary. Including helping him prepare for getting through an audience with Thanos. And, if all went ill, for stabbing him in the back to keep him from hurting more people. 

So no, he would likely never see the blade again.

Even if she had to use it.


End file.
